Condenser for refrigeration systems



1958v A. N. JOHANNESEN ,82

CONDENSER FOR REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS Filed June 15, 1955 0 @003606QQQQAYQQQOQQQQAW WP u 00000000000000.000000 o dfidbbbbbOOOQQbO INVENTOR. JZZcZJz/V: ATm/PA/B United States Patent CONDENSER FOR REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS Allan N. JohannesemFramingham Center, Mass., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The present invention relates to a condenser for refrigeration systems.

Most conventional refrigeration systems employ a condenser which receives the refrigerant from a compressor in the form of a superheated high pressure vapor. Liquefaction of the refrigerant takes place in the condenser with an accompanying discharge of heat. The refrigerant leaves the condenser as a liquid and flows to a receiver.

Conventional condensers are formed of a continuous serpentine or zigzag coil having horizontal sections or tubes and bends or elbows connecting the ends of the tubes. Such condensers are usually rectangular in configuration, and arranged upright in use so that the liquefied refrigerant can gravitate through them.

Most refrigerators are stationary in use and installed on a level floor or the like. However, in modern times many refrigeration systems are being used on transportation devices, such as highway and rail vehicles or marine or aircraft. Such transportation devices frequently become tilted orunlevel, causing their refrigeration systems to be correspondingly tilted during operation. When this occurs, the usual serpentine condenser coil is unsatisfactory, in that the tilting of the condenser may cause the liquid refrigerant to become trapped in one or more of the elbows at the ends of the horizontal coils, thereby restricting the free flow of the gaseous refrigerant into and through the condenser. This obviously interferes with the proper operation of the refrigeration system as a whole, and is highly undesirable in all types of mobile refrigeration units.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a condenser for use in mobile refrigeration systems which are tilted, and so constructed that the gaseous and liquid regfrigerant may flow freely through the same by gravity at all times.

Another object of the invention is to provide a condenser of the above-mentioned type which is superior to the usual serpentine coil type of condenser, in that it does not employ the usual bends or elbows at the ends of the horizontal condenser coils, likely to trap the liquid refrigerant and block off or restrict the flow of gaseous refrigerant through the condenser, when the condenser is tilted.

Another object is to provide a condenser in which the gaseous and liquid refrigerant does not have to pass through the entire length of a continuous serpentine coil, due to the fact that the present condenser embodies a multiplicity of separate condenser tubes connected with common tubes or headers, the arrangement being such that the refrigerant may flow in either direction through the tubes and from one header to the other, with the result that more condensing surface remains available at 2,824,720 a tented Feb. 25,

all times in the condenser, as the liquid refrigerant gravitates through the condenser to the outlet or drain.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a condenser which is preferably approximately circular in shape, so as to be more eificiently cooled by the usual fan employed'therewith, as contrasted to the conventional square or rectangular serpentine condenser presently in wide use. I

Another object is to provide a refrigeration condenser which will allow the free passage of liquid and gaseous refrigerant therethrough while tilted in either direction, up to a predetermined limit.

A further object is to provide a condenser which is simplified and inexpensive in construction, compact, sturdy and highly eflicient in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure l is a side elevation of a refrigeration condenser embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan View-of the same;

Figure 3 is an enlarged central vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Figure l, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1, parts broken away.

In the drawings, where for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates generally a marginal tubular frame including relatively large vertical sides or headers 11 and top and bottom substantially V-shaped ends 12 and 13 connected with the headers 11. The V-shaped ends 12 and 13 comprise inclined converging sides or tubes 14 which are preferably inclined with respect to the horizontal approximately 20, thus defining the maximum angle to which the condenser may be tilted Without interfering with the free flow of the. liquid refrigerant therethrough by gravity. The degree of inclination of the tubes 14 is not critical, and may be varied as found desirable. However, it is believed that an inclination of 20 from the horizontal for the tubes 14 will be sufiicient to compensate for the maximum tilting of most mobile refrigeration units. The tubes 14 are preferably somewhat smaller in diameter than the vertical tubes or headers 11, as shown. The frame 10 is preferably formed of copper tubing or the like.

It is thus .seen that the tubular frame 10 illustrated in the drawing is polygonal in side elevation and roughly circular, so that its entire area may be efficiently cooled by a fan employed with the same in the refrigeration system. It may be further seen that the frame 10 includes a bottom portion which slopes downwardly from the lower ends of the vertical headers 11 and has a low point at the junction of the tubes 14.

Inlet and outlet tubular fittings 15 and 16 are provided, and these fittings are connected with and open into the V-shaped ends 12 and 13 of the tubular frame 10 at the high and low points or vertices of the same. The vaporized refrigerant from the compressor enters the top of the condenser through the fitting 15, and the liquefied or condensed refrigerant discharges from the condenser through the outlet fitting 16 at the bottom thereof, the condenser being vertically disposed in use.

The condenser further comprises a plurality of vertical banks or rows of horizontal tubes 17, as shown, the tubes 17 being preferably formed of copper or the like. 1 prefer to employ three vertical rows of the tubes 17 as clearly shown in Figure 3, although any preferred number of rows of tubes may be used, as found desirable. The tubes 17 of the vertical rows or banks extend horizontally between the vertical headers 11 and inclined tubes 14 of the frame and have their ends secured to and opening into the headers 11 and tubes 14. The horizontal tubes 17 of each vertical row are spaced apart equidistantly throughout the entire height of the frame 10, as shown. The vertical rows or banks of tubes 17 are also equidistantly spaced and preferably parallel as shown in Figure 3. The tubes 17 adjacent the vertical headers 11 are equal in length, and the tubes 17 connected with the inclined tubes 14 are unequal in length and successively shorter toward the top and bottom of the V-shaped ends 12 and 13.

The center or intermediate vertical row of tubes 17 are straight throughout their length, and are connected with the headers 11 and tubes 14 at their transverse centers as shown in Figure 4. The outer vertical rows of tubes 17 have their end portions 18 inclined or directed inwardly for connection with the sides of the headers 11 and tubes 14 on opposite sides of the central row of tubes 17 as best shown in Figure 4.

A multiplicity of vertical heat conducting fins formed of copper or the like are rigidly secured to the horizontal tubes 17 in horizontally equidistantly spaced relation, throughout the entire width of the condenser. The fins 19 are provided with vertical rows of spaced apertures for the reception of the rows of tubes 17, as clearly shown in Figure 3. The fins 19 extend vertically for the entire height of the condenser between the inclined tubes 14, as shown. Due to the inclination of the tubes 14, the fins 19 are unequal in length and successively longer toward the transverse center of the frame 10. The fins 19 serve to radiate heat during the operation of the system, and also serve to materially strengthen or stiffen the condenser.

In use, the condenser is vertically disposed and the superheated high pressure vaporized refrigerant enters the condenser through the tubular fitting 15. This vaporized refrigerant passes freely through the tubes 14 and headers 11 and also through the horizontal tubes 17 in either direction. Condensing or liquefaction of the refrigerant takes place during the passage of the refrigerant through the condenser, with an accompanying loss of heat, aided by the fins 19.

If the condenser is tilted in either direction to the horizontal during use, up to a maximum of 20 in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the free flow of the liquefied refrigerant through the condenser will not be obstructed and the liquid refrigerant will not be trapped, because the refrigerant may pass in either direction from the headers 11 and tubes 14 through the tubes 17, and it may also pass through either of the lower tubes 14 of the V-shaped end 13 at the bottom of the condenser to the outlet fitting 16. Accordingly, it is impossible for the liquid refrigerant to become trapped in the condenser due to tilting of the system, and consequently the flow of vaporized refrigerant into and through the condenser will not be restricted.

While the condenser is designed particularly for use in mobile refrigeration systems, likely to become tilted, it should be pointed out that the condenser is highly satisfactory in conventional stationary systems as well. Due to the approximately circular shape of the condenser, the cooling fan, not shown, is able to effectively cool the entire frontal area of the condenser.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

l. A condenser for refrigeration systems comprising a polygonal tubular frame including substantially vertical sides and top and bottom substantially V-shapcd ends having high and low points, inlet and outlet opening means for the high and low points of said V-shaped ends, a plurality of substantially horizontal tubes extending entirely across the frame and opening into said vertical sides and the sides of the V-shaped ends, and a plurality of fins carried by said horizontal tubes.

2. A condenser for refrigeration systems comprising a substantially hexagonal tubular frame including substantially V-shaped top and bottom ends, inlet and outlet opening means for the high and low points of the top and bottom V-shaped ends respectively, a plurality of substantially vertical rows of substantially horizontal tubes extending entirely across the frame and connected with the vertical sides of the frame and the sides of the V- shaped ends, and heat radiating fins associated with said rows of horizontal tubes.

3. A condenser for refrigeration systems comprising a polygonal tubular frame including substantially vertical sides and top and bottom substantially V-shaped ends having high and low points, inlet and outlet opening means for the high and low points of said V-shaped ends, and a plurality of substantially horizontal tubes extending entirely across the frame and opening into said vertical sides and the sides of the V-shaped ends.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 937,380 Miller Oct. 19, 1909 1,243,816 Cormier Oct. 23, 1917 1,576,756 Muir Mar. 16, 1926 1,717,689 Hunt June 18, 1929 

